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American National Rugby League TOMAHAWKS SQUAD FOR 'OHANA CUP @Tikisgrill

The American National Rugby League has named a 19-man USA Tomahawkssquad for the Ohana Cup Test match against Tonga.

The squad, which includes 13 returning players from the successful

Donnybrook Cup side, is dominated by Hawaii-based players as the game,to be played on Saturday, May 12, will be staged in Honolulu.Seven players from Hawaii have been bracketed in the squad, includingformer University of Hawaii and NFL player Leonard Peters. Theex-Warriors star, who was on the Chicago Bears practice squad, hasalso been part of USA Rugby Eagles teams in the past three years.

Mosese Uitalia and Anthony Sunia, who previously played in the AMNRLand who has relocated to Hawaii, are listed as shadow reserves.American Samoa is also represented with two players in the 19. Thevastly experienced Keiki Misipeka and teenager Henry Leatio'o havebeen drafted into the squad from the US Pacific colony. At 6’ 4” and240lbs, 19-year old Leatio'o is a huge talent.Also in the squad are Dusten Umeda, a USA Sevens pool player, and TalaEsera, another former football player from UH who had stintsprofessionally with NFL teams Miami and Philadelphia.“Really looking forward to working with much of the same squad ofplayers from the Donnybrook Cup with the inclusion of new players fromHawaii and American Samoa,” said Tomahawks coach MarcusVassilakopoulos.

“We have such a wealth of talent to pull from these days it willdefinitely make our job harder and harder to pick a squad for futurematches with every game like an audition for World Cup spots. The ballis literally in the boys’ hands and I expect the professionalism,attitude and commitment of these players will gradually increase also.“Really looking forward to working with Leonard Peters, Dusten Umeda,Tala Esera, Henry Leatio'o and Anthony Sunia for the first time.Quality athletes with very diverse backgrounds from Rugby Union toProfessional Football.”The squad will be trimmed to a 17-man gameday lineup for the match.The inaugural Ohana Cup Test is set for a 7pm kickoff local time atKaiser Stadium in Honolulu.USA TOMAHAWKS SQUAD:Kenny Britt (FL), Apple Pope (FL), Keiki Misipeka (American Samoa),Henry Leatio'o (American Samoa), Curtis Cunz (CT), Matt Walsh (CT),Sean Taylor (NY), John Dykeman (NY), Justin Ripley (NY), AndrewKneisly (PA), Vai Notoa (HA), Kelly McGill (HA), Salesi Tongamoa (GA),Tala Esera (HA), Dusten Umeda (HA), Ian Elliott (NY), Mosese Uitalia(HA)*, Leonard Peters (HA), Anthony Sunia (HA)**denotes shadow reserveCoach - Marcus VassilakopoulosAssistant Coach/Manager - David Niu